"My Times Are In Your Hand"

Most of the time, I make art because I have something on my mind, or in my spirit (both really), and I have to express it. The things that are the deepest tend to percolate for a long time, and then bubble up at the appropriate moment. This artwork expresses a combination of celebration and grief. The topic: life in the womb and the loss of that life.

As images go, this is a simple composite with easy symbolism, at least to me. The child's silhouette is the key to interpreting this image. (It's my oldest grandson~ who is now 5~ when he was first toddling around, looking out at the rain through the door in the den). I probably had more emotion as I created this artwork than I have had with many others put together. Perhaps this comes through, but it's impossible for me to discern, as I will always feel the feelings when I look at it from now on.

It usually happens (when I make art) that I'm feeling first, then groping to express artistically what I feel. The thinking is intuitive as I gravitate to photos I've taken or licensed that I keep archived for just such an "emergency". As I made this, the Scripture verse I quoted in the title above ran through my mind. I was struggling to find comfort for a loss~ someone else's loss of a baby by miscarriage~ that seemed to trigger something in me I couldn't explain. Grief welled up in me and threatened to bring on depression if I didn't deal with it. Art's good therapy, especially if we let the Spirit of God be involved, which of course I do.

I'm not going to go into a big discussion of what's on my mind, as this is an art blog, meant for interpretation (although I do get teachy and preachy here, I just can't help myself sometimes). But I am sure I will pursue the topic more in depth on "Fireberries" when I have time. For now, just let me say that my understanding of the preciousness of life has deepened over my lifetime, and it is a compelling force behind my artwork.

No matter what people think in this day and age, every life that is conceived in the womb is created by God. He breathes life into that tiny embryo, and it is a living person with a spirit. No child, born or unborn, goes unnoticed by Him or is unknown to Him. Whether they are miscarried or aborted they go to be with Him. I learned this when I miscarried my first pregnancy so many years ago. I will tell that story sometime when I blog all this out.

I actually titled this piece "Revelation #16" and included it in my series (as I felt it had universal revelation in it and worked visually with the rest). The background is an outer space image from the Hubble telescope, and this particular photo is of the Crab Nebula. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crab_Nebula Its appearance was perfect for my artwork with the glowing, womblike section that holds the child. I love working with these public domain space images (I've been invited to submit some of my artworks using their Hubble images for one of their official websites, I just haven't gotten up the nerve to go for it-- fear of rejection you know). http://hubble.nasa.gov/multimedia/astronomy.php

When I look at the small version of this artwork, I see angels circling the womb. The "angels" are actually dogwood blossoms, which of course you can see when you look up close. But I like the feeling of the womb being protected here, and I believe this is God's heart and action: to protect the life that is carried within.

Although death has not yet been "laid at Jesus feet", I believe it has been defeated by Him via the cross and resurrection. It is one of my great burdens that we begin to get a hold of this revelation. The dogwood traditionally represents the cross and passion of Christ. I think it is fitting here, for He "tasted death for every one". "He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief," so He also knows how to comfort us in our losses and grieving. He always gives us hope and courage to help us keep on living life with joy and thankfulness.

In this artwork, the womb is portrayed as a vehicle, a "space ship", for the journey of growth and development that takes place for 9 months. It's spiritual counterpart is the concept of "the hand of God", which never lets go of this infant no matter what happens. The new life (each an eternal spiritual being), here, is being escorted to the heavenly realm: if the fetus is born a baby in the world, then God's hand is ever-present to guide him into the heavenly realm, by the Spirit, as the child grows naturally.

There's a white heart of light/love around the baby, which is God's heart of love, always present no matter what the circumstance. I like how the patterns made by the nebula and the flowering branches created an umbilical cord. Natural life is drawn from God through the birth-mother, and spiritual life is drawn from God through the spiritual mother, the Church (Body of Christ). As you can see, there is a deeper, more spiritual meaning to this artwork. We are to nurture all lives that are given into our care, for they all belong to God and derive life from Him.

Textures were overlaid in this artwork, one of rain through a curtained window during a violent tropical storm, signifying grief and a "veil" of oppression that keeps us from seeing the purposes of God when things look dark. Laid over that is another texture: a peaceful beach scene with gentle waves at sunrise, after a storm. This signifies the natural birth by water, and the spiritual birth represented by baptism. Life overcomes death, and light overcomes darkness. Underneath all of this is a texture made from a photo of light shining through a chalcedony stone, which is blue like the sky. To me this says the light of the third heaven breaks through the second and first heavens with the Truth of God, colouring everything we see, whether we know it or not.

I hope you've gained some insight and inspiration from this artwork and from my explanation. Thanks for reading! Be blessed.

References:

Psalm 31:15 (whole Psalm recommended)

Psalm 22: 9-11

Hosea 13:14

Romans 8:38-39

Hebrews 2:9

Isaiah 53: 3-4; 61:2

II Corinthians 1: 3-4

The Letter of Marque

It was "International Talk Like a Pirate Day", and I was thinking about pirates! I wanted to make an artistic statement, and I had a basic idea of the picture and format, but no clear concept in my mind of what it would say. But I did have a feeling that the Lord had a declaration, or proclamation to make, so the first thing I did was to procure a parchment image.

After working on the background all day, I discussed with my husband a concept that I had, unclearly, that turned out to be the "letter of marque". I decided to research that on Wikipedia the next day. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_of_Marque

When the background was done, I went to bed, not knowing, still, what the document would contain, but praying that the Lord would speak to me about it. First thing the next morning, I read about the "letter of marque" and began searching the Scriptures for what the Lord was saying pertaining to this. Keep in mind, please, that this is a spiritual statement and NOT a natural or political one.
Here is the final outcome:

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The Letter of Marque
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The Decree of the King, Jesus the Christ, the Word of God: King of Kings and Lord of Lords; The Faithful and True Witness of the New Covenant of God; The Holy Lamb, Slain from the Foundation of the World; The Righteous Judge and Captain of the Host; The Only Begotten Son of the Almighty God, The Beloved, Firstborn Among Many Brethren, Who Lives and Reigns Forever in the Heavenly Realms of Glory:
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I Hereby do Authorize the children of God, called, chosen and faithful, (Buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him Through faith in the working of God, Who raised Him from the dead, Having triumphed over and disarmed all principalities and powers,)
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To plunder those who plundered them,

To pillage those who pillaged them,
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And to take back everything I have given you by My promises, Which has been stolen from you through Satan’s piracy: Confusion, intimidation and deceit.
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For he who touches you touches the apple of My eye.
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Beware lest you become pirates yourselves, For pride cometh before a fall. He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.
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Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit says the LORD.
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Do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, Against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this age, Against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
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Though you walk in the flesh, you are not to war after the flesh, For the weapons of your warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God For pulling down strongholds, Casting down arguments, and every high thing That exalts itself against the knowledge of God, Bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, And being ready to punish all disobedience When your obedience is fulfilled.
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Therefore, take up the whole armour of God,

Praying always in the Spirit.
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Be sober, be vigilant. Be valiant, be courageous.
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Have I not commanded you? Be strong, do not be afraid,

For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.
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Sealed by the Spirit of Truth

Until the day of redemption.
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Here is a list (by no means comprehensive) of Scriptures that this decree was taken from. Hopefully, you'll see from studying these verses that I haven't made up a thing, just related them to a subject people know and are interested in.

Revelation 19:11-16; 12:11,13:8; Isaiah 11:2-5; Romans 8:29; Psalms 96:10; Hebrews 2:10; Ephesians 1; Colossians 1, 2:9-15;
Ezekiel 39:10; Zechariah 2:5-11, 4:6; Proverbs 22:23, 24:15; Deuteronomy 23: 14-16;
Jude 1:23; Galatians 6:1; Romans 2:3; Proverbs 8:13, 16:18; IICorinthians 10: 3-6, 17; Ephesians 6:10-18; I Peter 5:8; Joshua 1:7-9;
II Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13, 4:30; John 15:26, 16:13; IICorinthians 1:20; 3:6; II Peter 1:4; Isaiah 42:22; Joel 2:25

Until next time,

Karen